Sports federations race to meet new registration requirements

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In less than two weeks, all sports federations and associations will be required to reapply for membership with the National Council of Sports (NCS) as the National Sports Act of 2023 takes effect.

Following the president’s recent endorsement of the law, First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, is set to sign the statutory instruments that will officially bring the Act into force.

Under the new framework, federations must obtain a certificate of recognition and admission, a process that comes with substantial financial obligations. To qualify, each federation must demonstrate countrywide coverage—75% for federations and 60% for associations—aimed at strengthening the sector and ensuring legitimacy across all sporting disciplines.

The 50 sports federations in the country are now racing to meet the following requirements:

Declaration of a national sport

Any federation or association seeking national recognition must apply for the declaration of a national sport, a process that carries a fee of sh10m. While the cost may seem steep, National Council of Sports general secretary, Bernard Ogwel, believes it is a necessary measure to deter individuals who establish sports entities without a genuine purpose.

“Yes, it looks to be a huge figure but as long as a sport has a legitimate reason for existence, it will find ways of meeting such a demand,” said Ogwel.

Registration as a sports federation/association

Federations will need to pay a registration fee of sh2m, while associations must pay sh1m. These fees will be renewed annually following an assessment of compliance, with renewal fees set at sh500,000.

Certificate of Recognition

The application for a certificate of recognition will cost sh3m for federations and sh2m for associations, with renewal fees of sh1.5m and sh1m, respectively.

Inspection of the Register of Sports Organizations

The government will charge an annual inspection fee of sh200,000 as part of the NCS’s monitoring and evaluation process.

In total, federations will need approximately sh18.2m, while associations will require about sh15.7m to meet these obligations.

These costs are subject to review, a concern for federations with limited funding sources. Additionally, compliance with the 75% countrywide coverage requirement for federations and 50% for associations remains a key factor in obtaining official recognition.

Once the statutory instrument is signed, the new law will be enforced immediately. The NCS is urging federations and associations to act swiftly to meet all requirements and avoid last-minute complications that could jeopardize their legal standing in the next financial year, which begins in July.

“Right now, is the best time to get all the work done and adhere to the law requirements and avoid last-minute panics,” an NCS representative advised.